Have you heard the story of Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese soldier who didn’t believe WWII ended, and stayed at his post in a Philippine jungle for 29 years? The war ended in 1945 and he stayed in the jungle until 1974 at the spot his commanding officer told him to guard, of course not knowing that the war had ended, until his brother and his commanding officer searched for him and told him that war ended 29 years ago! (Read more about this incredible story here: – http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/world/asia/hiroo-onoda-imperial-japanese-army-officer-dies-at-91.html?hp&_r=0)

As a Christian, the story makes me ashamed and inspired at the same time. Ashamed, because so many Christians do not have the faithfulness that this Japanese soldier did. Hiroo believed the emperor to be a god and it was his duty to serve him until he was commanded otherwise. And since no other word came, he stayed at his post for 29 years! In other words, his prayer hasn’t been answered – since no word came from the emperor – for 29 years and yet he was faithful to him. How many Christians leave their post only after a few months when they don’t seem to get their needs met???

Inspired, because if a man driven by a sense of duty and honor could do something like that, imagine what can be done by men and women driven by something much greater – love and glory! After all, what did his god, his emperor, ever do for him? He was just a man like the rest of us. He had to surrender because he was powerless before the ally forces and the atomic bomb. But our King was all powerful. He was full of weapons that could annihilate the earth and the universe with it. And yet, He surrendered Himself to being a mere human and further surrendered Himself to death and disgrace so that you and I might live.

How do we stay faithful to our King?

One way is to keep watch over our hearts. Do not let sin reign in your heart be it lust, greed, apathy, worldliness, or an idol. “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you!” – John Owen

See you guys Sunday!

PH